St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-09
THE INNOCENT STRANGER FROM
THE COIJNTRV
Taken in on a Bogus Check.

Taken In on a Bogus Check.
Blu Nye
A Josh Whitcomb- looking old gen.
tleman sat most of the day yesterday
on seat in the open lot commonly
called Union Square. He had his hat
off so that the zephyrs of spring could
zeph through his late hair and his feet
were drawn up into the legs of his
boots where they could swell on al
most indefinitely if they felt better
that way.
He was dressed plainly and he car =
rled with him an emaciated Oil-clOth
grip that had no doubt put in a long,
hard winter. He watched this bag so
closely that he did not have much time
to commune with nature or enjoy the
broad and beautiful sweep of country
which extends longitudinally from
Fourth avenue to Broadway, merry
and unsteady with it's myriads of song
birds. The twitter of the silvery- voic-
ed sparrow, and the tropical, dark red
notice to "keep off the grass" did not
seem to calm him or sOothe his anxiety.
drew near and engaged him in con-
versation. Nothing gives me greater
pleasure than to make strangers in
New York as comfortable as possible
while here so that they will feel like
coming again and frequently and do
ing their trading here. l believe this
is the only true way to bnild up a
town.
He said that where he stopped they
wanted to take his valise and give him
check for it. but he would rather
have his grip than any check he had
| l. Il
check already in making change with
party day before yesterday and there
wasn't bank in town that wOnld cash
it for him.
"The trouble is here" said he, "that
every inducement is held out to keep
man from getting acquainted, and
then when he wants to get check, or
post Office money order, or anything
else cashed, they tell him he has got to
identify himself. Now the only man
that I've had any dealing with is the
man that gave me this check and |
can't find him. I've seen pretty near
everybody else, but | haven't seen him
yesterday or to- day. l hadn't anything
else much to do yesterday and so |
thought I'd kind of make it my bust
ness to look him up. L went over to
the post office about 10 o'clock yester-
day morning and watched all day for
him, because L was pretty tolerable
sure he'd be down after his mail before
night, but if he got his mail at all that
day he must have sent for it. No,
guess | wouldn't care to give up my
satchel to Tom, Dick and Harry and
take check for it. Checks are all
right in their place, but this is no place
for checks"
The style of the old man was so
him a long time, for l thoroughly en-
joyed him, and it seemed relief for
him to have somebody to talk with.
He told where he lived and how differ
ent from "this hurry and rush and
crush and cussedness on every hand -
how he went to bed as soon as the
chores were done and slept like top,
but here he couldn't sleep nights with
so much hurry and Fourth of July 60
ing on in the streets. He aimed to go
home tomorrow, he said, but had
overplayed himself by cashing that
blamed check. He had another check
of his own, but he "balled up" as
quick as he tried to get that cashed,
for the same old reason that he could
not be identified. He said he was a
man in his own town that everybody
knew. Even the papers had said that
che was thoroughly identified with the
growth of the place" and now he could
not be identified to save his life.
The check which he had originally
was one that he had folded up very
small and in various ways till it was
pretty grim and smelled like fried
pork, but it had an honest air about it
that even ten dollar check may wear.
1 knew that 1 could, with slight trou-
BILE, get identified myself, and so
took the paper off his hands, after he
had endorsed it. He was very CRATE
full, and wrung my hand in a warm,
enthusiastic way that repaid me well
for the slight favor l had done him.
One advantage of being man with
plenty of means is the great chance
thus offered for doing favors for those
who need them, and who are grateful
and appreciative.
My friend did not seem to want to
leave me but at last told him that |
would have to go down street to see
how my affairs were shutfling along.
He shook my hand again warmly,
which | did not feel very distinctly,
for it was still paralyzed from the first
manifestation then he told me | must
come up and see him this summer and
stay week or two. l gave him my
card and he went down the street hum
ming to himself and swinging his Rus
STA iron grip against the legs of the
hurrying thrOng.
AS he sailed along and finally out of
sight he seemed like breath of sweet
clover and wild thyme, though he did
not seem to be having very wild
thyme; but could picture his sunny
home up in the hills, as he described
it, where the drowsy sounds that come
with country twilight ''like doves in
quiet neighbOrhoods," lull the warm
spirit to gentle repose and l almost
made up my mind to go there when
the summer gets on its hind feet and
begins to hump itself.
| believe | will do this for thus, in a
few weeks, | could board out the ten
dollar check he gave me and which L
have since learned sis not available
for our columns"